Handles for brief cases and luggage



Nov. 20, 1956 L. LIFTON 2,771,167

HANDLES FOR BRIEF CASES AND LUGGAGE Filed Aug. 2. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GA ll EiFIGZ IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1956 LlFTON HANDLES FOR BRIEF CASES AND LUGGAGE 2 Sheets-Shae: 2

Filed Aug. 2. 1954 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent HANDLES FOR BRIEF CASES AND LUGGAGE Lewis Lifton, New York, N. Y.

Application August 2, 1954, Serial No. 447,175

6 Claims. (Cl. 190-57) This invention deals with internally locked hollow handles for brief cases or luggage wherein complementary locking means extending from companion rims of spaced ring sections thereof are utilized to hold the ring sections in juxtaposition and closed. One object is to conceal the complementary locking means within the handle pursuant to closing of the ring sections. Specifically, another object resides in the provision of tongue and keeper means extending from opposing rims of the companion ring sections to internally lock the ring sections together. Other importants objects, advantages and functional and structural features of the invention will be apparent from the teachings of the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the internally locked handle according to one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the internally concaved and exteriorly convexed sheet metal ring constituting the body of the handle.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the flexible wrapper or cover for the sheet metal ring.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, illustrating the ring sections closed and internally locked.

Fig. 6 illustrates the covered sections of the ring in position about to be fully closed and locked.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment according to the invention.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of an unfolded, externally convexed and internally concaved ring adapted to serve as the body of the handle of the type shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the cover or wrapper for the ring shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 7, and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but illustrating the ring sections about to be fully closed and locked.

Illustrative of the embodiments disclosed, handle H is formed from the externally convexed and internally concaved one piece sheet metal ring R comprising complementary ring sections CA and CB, interconnected by webs W. Adhesively secured to the outside convex surfaces of ring sections CA and CB are the components 11 and 12 of flexible leather or plastic cover or wrapper C. These components are secured in overlapping relation by the line of stitching 13. Outer margins 14 of cover C are turned over the outer rims 15 of ring sections CA and CB and adhesively secured to the inside concaved faces 16 of these ring sections, and to lip or flange 17 integral with and extending inwardly of outside rim 15 of ring section CA, and to lip or flange 18 of keeper or hook, generally designated K, integral with and projecting inwardly of outside rim 15 of ring section CB.

The inner margin of cover C is provided with a plurality of kerfs 19, leading to the central opening 20 and defining lips 21 adapted to be turned over inner rims 22 "ice and secured to the concaved faces 16 of ring sections CA and CB while lips 23 between intervening slits 24 are folded inwardly and secured to webs W.

Pursuant to adhesively covering ring R, ring sections CA and CB are bent along webs W to move towards each other whereby the biased tongue 25 is frictionally received between the downwardly converging spaced walls 26 and 27 of U-shaped keeper K, thatis, the latter defines a tapered channel CH whose walls closely confine and interlock with tongue 25.

When the ring sections are brought together, keeper K is positioned to receive tongue 25 and wall 26 of keeper K extends from flange or lip 18 downwardly and outwardly therefrom, that is, wall 26 may be said tobe offset relative to lip 18. Tongue 25 is so biased or sloped and acts to frictionally bear against the downwardly converging faces of channel CH when ring sections CA and CB are forced to their full closing position illustrated in Fig. 5 in which case these ring sections are internally locked and held against separation to characterize the inverted U-shaped handle H having span S and depending legs L terminating in sockets 30 defined by webs W.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 7-12 like reference characters denoting similar parts in connection with the form illustrated in Figs. 1-6 have been primed. However, in Figs. 7-12, alternate rims of ring sections CA and CB are respectively provided with inwardly turned lugs or tongues 31 and with keepers or hooks K respectively, for example, outer rim 15 of ring section CA and internal rim 22 of ring section CB each embody an inwardly turned tongue 31 while the inner rim 22 of ring section CA and outer rim 15 of ring section CB each embody an inwardly turned wall 32 of the U-shaped and tapered keepers K. When the covered ring sections CA and CB are brought towards each other, tongues 31 may be conveniently arranged within the channels CH of the keepers to interlock therewith. Thereafter the interlocked rings are slid relative to each other to complete closing thereof. This action slightly spreads the keepers to frictionally coact with tongues 31 as illustrated in Fig. 11, thereby holding the companion complements or ring sections CA and CB in juxtaposition, namely, closed and locked. In other aspects the form'according to Figs. 7-12 is along the lines of the embodiment of Figs. 1-6.

Various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein.

I claim:

1. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member embodying a pair of ring sections each having spaced inner and outer rims and having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, spaced web means intermediate said sections and integral therewith, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed intermediate portion secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said outer rims and secured against said :concaved surfaces and having an inner interrupted margin turned into said opening and over said inner rims and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable along said web means to define said pair of ring sections, substantially U-shaped keeper means integral with and extending inwardly from the outer rim of one of said sections to overhang the concaved surface thereof, and a tongue integral with and inwardly extending from the outer rim of the other section of said pair to overhang the concaved surface thereof and adapted pursuant to folding of said ring shaped member along said web means to be frictionally received by said keeper means to interlock therewith to hold said ring sections closed and in juxtaposition.

2. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member embodying a pair of ring sections each having spaced inner and outer rims and having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, spaced web means intermediate said sections and integral therewith, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed intermediate portion secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said outer rims and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner interrupted margin turned into said opening and over said inner rims and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable along said web means to define said pair of ring sections, substantially U-shaped keeper means integral with and extending inwardly from the outer rim of one of said sections to overhang the concaved surface thereof, said keeper means comprising downwardly converging spaced walls, and a tongue biased relative to the outer rim of its respective ring section and integral with and inwardly extending from the outer rim of the other section of said pair to overhang the concaved surface thereof and adapted pursuant to folding of said ring shaped member along said web means to be frictionally received by said walls to interlock therewith to hold said ring sections closed and in juxtaposition.

3. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member embodying a pair of ring sections each having spaced inner and outer rims and having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, spaced web means intermediate said sections and integral therewith, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed intermediate portion secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said outer rims and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner interrupted margin turned into said opening and over said inner rims and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable along said web means to define said pair of ring sections, the outer rims of said sections of said pair having interlocking keeper and tongue means, and the inner rims of said sections having interlocking keeper and tongue means, said interlocking keeper and tongue means holding said sections together and closed pursuant to folding of said ring shaped member along said web means.

4. A hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member embodying a pair of ring sections each having spaced inner and outer rims and having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, spaced web means intermediate said sections and integral therewith, a flexible wrapper having a centrally arranged opening and defining a closed intermediate portion secured to said convexed surfaces and having an outer margin turned over said outer rims and secured against said concaved surfaces and having an inner interrupted margin turned into said opening and over said inner rims and secured against said concaved surfaces adjacent said opening, said wrapped ring shaped member being foldable along said web means to define said pair of ring sections, the outer rims of said sections of said pair having downwardly extending interlocking keeper and tongue means, and the inner rims of said sections having upwardly extending interlocking keeper and tongue means, said interlocking keeper and tongue means holding said sections together and closed pursuant to folding of said ring shaped member along said web means.

5. As a new article of manufacture for a hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member embodying a pair of ring sections each having spaced inner and outer rims and having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, spaced web means intermediate said sections and integral therewith, substantially U-shaped keeper means integral with and extending inwardly from the outer rim of one of said sections to overhang the concaved surface thereof, and a tongue integral with and inwardly extending from the outer rim of the other section of said pair to overhang the concaved surface thereof and adapted purusant to folding of said ring shaped member along said web means to be frictionally received by said keeper means to interlock therewith to hold said ring sections closed and in juxtaposition.

6. As a. new article of manufacture for a hollow handle, comprising; a one piece substantially ring shaped member embodying a pair of ring sections each having spaced inner and outer rims and having spaced exteriorly convexed surfaces and spaced internally concaved surfaces, spaced web means intermediate said sections and integral therewith, substantially U-shaped keeper means integral with and extending inwardly from the outer rim of one of said sections to overhang the concaved surface thereof and having downwardly converging spaced walls, and a tongue integral with and inwardly extending from the outer rim of the other section of said pair to overhang the concaved surface thereof and adapted pursuant to folding of said ring shaped member along said webmeans to be frictionally received by said walls to interlock therewith to hold said ring sections closed and in juxtaposition.

No references cited. 

